Relationships are everything. When it comes to Rick Barnes and Tom Izzo, they have been friendly with each other for over 40 years now. Although their two basketball programs do not play each other all that often, we will see the Tennessee Volunteers hosting the Michigan State Spartans next year in Knoxville. These two programs have not played each other over the better part of two decades now...
To best explain why the Spartans are now on the schedule, Barnes discussed his friendship with Izzo.
"When we first met in Columbus, Ohio, we were at a high school there watching a local Columbus, Ohio player playing. He was an assistant under Jud [Heathcote]. I was under Gary Williams. From that point on, we've just struck up a friendship."
Barnes continued by saying that Izzo has a heart full of good, and is one of the better guys around.
"He's one of the great guys in this business. He's for all the right things. He's always done it right. He's done a lot, trying to do a lot, like, outside of just coaching basketball, trying to grow the game in so many different ways."
He kept on going with his praise of the Spartans head coach by raving about Izzo's elite character.
"Truly one of the finest people I've ever met, and I could rave about him all day as a basketball coach, which I really don't need to do that. I can just say he's as fine a person that I have ever met."
Here is everything Barnes had to say about his friendship and respect for Izzo as a basketball coach.
"He's always done it right."
— Sam Granville (@samgranvilletv) May 1, 2026
Rick Barnes details his 40+ year relationship with Tom Izzo as Tennessee recently scheduled a non-conference matchup with Michigan State for the 2026/2027 season.
The two hall of famers met in 1986 when Barnes was an assistant at Ohio State. #Vols pic.twitter.com/wRQEMnLu0Q
While they may be friendly off the court, this non-conference game will be impactful for both teams.
Rick Barnes perfectly explains why playing Michigan State is so important
Let's be real. How many more opportunities will these two hall-of-fame head coaches have to go up against each other? Again, these two men have been friends since 1986 when Izzo was serving under the iconic Jud Heathcote at Michigan State, and Barnes under future hall of famer Gary Williams over at Ohio State. Michigan State and Tennessee are fantastic programs, but they rarely play each other.
Last year saw the Spartans get to the Sweet 16. Izzo has been synonymous with March for the entirety of the 21st century. However, it has been a quarter century since he last won a national title. Arch rival Michigan just won its first since 1989 less than a month ago... As for Tennessee, Barnes keeps knocking on the door to the Final Four, but to no avail. Will this year be the best one to date?
With Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris all but certainly coming to Knoxville, the Vols are on a shortlist of teams who can realistically win the SEC next year. They usually save their best basketball for when it counts, in March and April... For now, whoever wins this game next year in Knoxville could have the upper hand when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding. Expect for both to get top-six seeds again.
For now, you have to be excited for how excited Barnes is to be hosting his friend's team next season.
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